Folding paperboard carton



Nov. 10, 1959 D. P. DoRAN 2,912,154

y FOLDING PAPERBOARD CARTON Filed Feb. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l n I v j). l

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y J" H. /Z' y *JF-E DONALD RDORAN D. P. DORAN FOLDING PAPERBOARD CARTON Nov. l0, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 ,5, INVENToR.

poNALD P. DORA/v Nov. 10, 1959 D. P. DoRAN FOLDING PAPERBOARD CARTON -4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Filed Feb. 6, 1956 A TORNEYQ United States Patent O M FoLmNG PAPERBOARD CARTON Donald P. Doran, Bronx, N.Y., assgnor to Continental Can Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,642

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-34) The invention relates to folding paperboard cartons, and particularly to an improved carton of the cushion, or hollow walled, type.

Summary The general practice in making hollow walled cartons has been to form the hollow side walls by folding aps inwardly from the four sides of a bottom panel in such fashion as to create four tubes with a mitered joint at the corners. Themitered corners are a source of weakness and the operations involved in setting up such cartons are rather tedious. I have invented an improved form of carton which has pre-glued tubular end walls hinged within a pre-glued tubular body. As manufactured, the tubular end walls are at folded within the body so they can be erected within the body. Erection of the end walls squares up the body so that the whole carton can be snapped into erected form in a jitfy, and since the tubular end walls come into place within the ends of the tubular body', the structure of the completed carton is good and strong. The strength is increased further by Vfolding corner webs which are backed up by flaps that fold down against them from the top panel, these flaps-also bearing against the end w'alls. Thus the end walls are held erect both bydirect thrust of the downwardly folding top panel flaps and by the action 'of these flaps in backing up the corner webs.'V The resulting carton structure is exceptionally strong and rigid, despite the extreme simplicity with which it can be snapped into erected form.

Other objects and advantages of my carton construction will appear as the' description proceeds.

Description ICC 2 line 7-7 of Fig. 6, with the tubular end walls partly erected.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, with the tubular end walls fully erected. v

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, with the top panel aps partly folded in. v

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, with the top panel aps in locked position.

(Figs. 7 and 8 together illustrate the rst step in erecting the carton once the end aps are infolded; and Figs. 9 and l0 together illustrate the second and final step.)

Fig. 11 is a top perspective view broken away in sec*-I tion, showing a concluding phase of the erection of the tubular end walls.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the carton as set up for use, partly broken away in longitudinal section.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one corner ofthe carton showing the Fig. l1 phase wherein the tubular end wall is being erected within the tubular body of the carton.

Fig. 14 is a view similar'to Fig. l showing a modified form of carton blank.

Referring first to Figs. 1l-13, my carton comprises,

in its general arrangement, -a tubular body B (Fig. 13)

comprising top panel r15, bottom panel 16 and side wall panels 17, 17, and tubular end walls E hinged to the ends of the' top panel 15, the carton in its at foldedA form (Figs. 4 and 5) having the end walls glued up in flat tubular form within the glued up flat tubular body, and in its erected form havingthe tubular end walls framed within the ends of the tubular body.

The tubular end walls E are connected to the top panel by folding corner webs 18 (Figs. l1 and l2) restraining the end walls from being pulled beyond the ends of the tubular body, and the top panel 15 has flaps 19 which fold downwardly (Fig. 9) between the erected end walls E. The ends of flaps 19 bear against end walls E to hold them in erected form, and'locking tabs 20 on the flaps engage corner webs 18 (as at 21, Fig. l2) to lock the aps in a position bearing Vagainst the corner webs. Thus the endv walls E areheld erect both by the .direct thrustof the ends'of `flaps 19 and by the action of these flaps in backingupv the corner webs 18, preventing-the latter from folding around the score lines 22', 23 and 24. The corner extended except that the end wall flap at the top of the Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the carton following l folding andgluing of its tubular body. Here we are looking at the bottom of the flat folded carton.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the completed fiat folded carton.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates the step of folding in the end flaps. This may be considered either as the final step of making the at folded carton, or as the first step in erecting the carton for use. (The carton is capable of resuming its at folded form after the end flaps are infolded.)

Fig. 7 is lan enlarged cross sectional view taken on tbe webs, -when so backed up by flaps 19, constitute effective brackets to square up the end walls with the top wall, while the tubular end walls themselves bear at their ends against the side walls 17, 17, and square up the whole tubular body of the carton.

End walls E comprise articulated panels 2S, 26 and 27 (Fig. 11) extending downwardly from the ends oftop panel 15, thence inwardly adjacent the inner face of bottom panel 16, thence upwardly to the top panel 15 and terminating in a ap 28 glued to the inner face of the top panel to form a rectangular tube within the ends of the tubular body. Folding corner webs 1S are formed as extensions of the ends of panels 27 and terminate in a glue ap 29 (Fig. l). And a glue flap 30 extends from bottom panel 16 to complete the structure is used to designate fold lines formed by scoring, or scor" Patented Nov. 10, 1959' ing and slitting, in the manner well known in the art, the paperboard blank being cut and scored with the use of conventional cutting and scoring dies. In Figs. 1, 2 and 14, areas to which glue is applied are indicated by stippling.

In making the at folded carton the panels 27 and adjoining'glue flaps 28 are folded as shown at the top of Fig. 1, and corner webs 18 folded about diagonal score lines Z3 as at the top center of Fig. l. Following application of glue to the stippled areas, the end wall assemblies are folded about the fold Ilines at the ends of top panel 15 into the position shown in Fig. 2. This completes formation of the pre-glued tubular end walls E. Next, bottom panel 16 with its adjoining glue Hap 30 is folded over against panels 15 and 17, and side wall panel 17 folded over to glue its edge to flap 30. This completes formation of the preglued tubular body B. Note that the pre-glued tubular end walls E are folded at within the flat folded body B. The carton is now ready to be shipped by the box manufacturer to the customer in its flat folded form (K.D.F.=knocked down flat for shipment).

An optional additional step, which may be performed by the manufacturer or by the customer as desired, is shown in Fig. 6. This consists in squaring up the body of the carton and folding in the end flaps 31. These flaps snap into place behind an overlapping edge of the tubular end walls. Then when the carton is erected by pushing the end walls outwardly as shown in Figs. l1 and 13,l and upon reaching their nal position as in Fig. 12, flaps 31 snap into the ends of the tubular kend walls, closing the corners of the carton.

Erection of the carton, once the flaps 31 are tucked in, consists essentially of but two simple steps. Grasping the flat carton with the fingers extending over its ends, the thumbs are inserted into the opening 37 (Fig. 6) to push outwardly against the pre-glued end wall assemblies and move them as shown by the arrows in Fig. 11 to their erected form. The top wall flaps are then pushed downwardly as shown by the arrows in Fig. to their locking position shown in Figs. 10 and 12. The box is now ready for use.

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 14 is exactly the same as the'one which has been described except in one particular: end naps 31 are replaced by end aps 31' extending from the ends of end wall panel 25. `Flaps 31 are infolded before .panel 27 and corner webs 18 are folded, eliminating the need to hand fold the flaps in the manner previously described'with reference to Fig. 6. The modified carton is set up in the same way as the other one. A

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels and side wall panels, and tubular end walls double hinged to the ends of the top panel, the carton in its flat folded form having the end walls glued up in flat tubular form and disposed within the glued up flat tubular body, and in its erected form having the tubular end walls framed within the ends of the tubular body, the tubular end walls being conv nected to the top panel by folding corner webs restraining the end walls from being pulled beyond the ends of the tubular body, and the top panel having aps which fold downwardly between the erected end walls, the ends of said flaps bearing against the end walls to hold them inerected form, and locking 'tabs on said flaps engaging said corner webs to lock the llaps in a position bearing against the corner webs.

2. folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels and side wall panels,

and tubular end walls double hinged to the ends of the top panel, the tubular end walls being connected to the top panel by diagonal-fold corner webs, the carton in its dat folded form having the end walls glued up in at tubular form and disposed within the glued up llat tubular body with the corner webs folded on their diagonals and glued yto the inside of the top panel at points spaced from the corners of the carton, and in its erected form having the tubular end walls framed within the ends of the tubular body and the corner webs unfolded to restrain the end walls from being pulled beyond the ends of the tubular body, and the top panel having flaps which fold downwardly between the erected end walls, the ends ofsaid flaps bearing against the end walls to hold them in erected form.

3. A folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels and side Wall panels, said top panel having an opening therein, tubular end walls swingably attached to the top panel proximate its ends, said tubular end walls being disposed in at folded form within said tubular body and having their free ends underlying said opening when said tubular body is in dat folded form, and aps hinged to said top panel adjacent to said side wall panels, said flaps extending into said opening when said tubular body is in flat folded form, and overlying said flat folded :tubular end walls, so that when said tubular body is erected and said flaps are urged downwardly, the flaps engage said tubular end walls to move the same into erected position.

4. A folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels and side wall panels, and tubular end walls double hinged to the ends of the top panel, the tubular end walls being connected to the top panel by diagonal-fold corner webs, the carton in its dat folded form having the end walls glued up in dat tubu lar form and disposed within the glued up flat tubular body with the corner webs folded on their diagonals and glued lto the inside of the top panel at points spaced from the corners of the carton, and in its erected forni, the side wall panels having end flaps folded inwardly against the side wall panels, the tubular end walls framed within the ends of the tubular body and the corner webs unfolded to restrain the end walls from being pulled beyond the ends of the tubular body, the end flaps extending into the ends of the tubular end walls and closing the junction between the ends of the tubular end walls and the ends of the side wall panels, and the top panel having aps which fold downwardly between the erected end walls and the ends of said flap bearing against the end walls to hold them in erected form.

5. A folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels and side wall panels, end aps extending from the side wall panels and foldable inwardly against the side-wall panels, and tubular end walls double hinged to the ends of the top panel, the carton in its at folded form having the end walls glued up y in at tubular form and disposed within the glued up flat tubular body, and in its erected form having the tubular end walls framed within the ends of the tubular body,

the tubular end walls being connected to the top panel by folding corner webs restraining the end walls from being .pulled beyond the ends of the tubular body, and the top panel having flaps which fold downwardly between the erected end walls,'the ends of said flaps bearing against the end walls to hold them in erected form, locking tabs on said flaps engaging said corner webs, and the end aps extending into the ends of the tubular end walls and closing the junction between the ends of the tubular end walls and the ends of the side wall panels.

6. .A folding paperboard carton having a tubular body comprising top and bottom panels yand side wall panels, and tubular end walls double hinged to the ends of the top panel, the tubular end walls being connected to the top panel by diagonal-fold corner webs, the carton in its fiat folded form having the end walls glued up in flat tubu- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tinsley Ian. 6, 1931 Mahone Oct. 11, 1938 Lenkof May 18, 1954 Stenger June 28, 1955 Randles Aug. 2, 1955 

